Dark
by morph
Summary: The TARDIS has to deal with a old darkness once again. Spoilers for 'Utopia.' TARDIS POV. Part of my TARDIS 100 series.


AN/ This fic was written as a way for me to vent some of my emotions after seeing 'Utopia' and waiting for 'The Sound of Drums' at the end of season three of the new series. Written in the TARDIS' POV and is a part of my TARDIS 100 series. The BBC owns everything. Thanks to LilCosette who betaed this even though she wasn't feeling well.

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Landing on the rift in Cardiff again was a necessary thing. I needed to refuel, and this was the easiest way of doing it. As soon as the Doctor opened my engines, I began to chug away at all the beautiful energy the Rift was giving off. I knew right away that the Rift had been active recently. I told the Doctor this fact through my readings. I was about to suggest to the Doctor that maybe he and Martha should go and investigate why the Rift had been active when I detected a familiar signal. It was one I had not felt in a long time, though I had been wanting to. 

Jack! Captain Jack Harkness! He was sprinting towards me, desperate to catch the Doctor before we left him behind again. At first, I was delighted to see him, but then I realized that he was different. He had changed. He shouldn't be there. He died - several times, and had been brought back to life. He shouldn't exist. I don't mean that in a bad way, but still, his existence greatly disturbed me. He was frozen in time, and that shouldn't happen. Even Time Lords age and die.

I shouted a mental warning to the Doctor and put the image of Jack running towards me up on my screen. The Doctor was as disturbed as I was. We both _really_ missed Jack, but still… for two old lords of time like us, having someone stuck in time like that is just… _wrong_. It was a bit like a dark blot staining a pristine white surface.

So we ran, almost without thinking about it. It was a knee-jerk response. We were just a little too late though. Jack obviously had been keeping fit since we had seen him last. He leaped and caught me, literally clinging to my outside wooden shell. As much as I missed Jack, I _really _didn't like the feel of him holding on. At his impact, I shuddered, sending sparks across my console. The Time Vortex is my domain, and so I did my best to shake Jack off, even just to get the _wrongness_ away from me. I leapt forward, zooming as fast as I could. I didn't even give the Doctor a warning, I just ran.

I flew and flew until I could go no further. Jack was as stubborn as he was charming. Somehow, he managed to stick on and didn't let go until I landed. Of course, by then he had 'died' again due to the stresses of the Time Vortex on his body and so lost his grip, but the Doctor and I knew that he would spring back to life soon. I sighed internally. We couldn't run from Jack any more. It wasn't really fair. After all, he didn't ask to become immortal. If the Doctor decided to bring Jack along again, I would learn to cope with it.

Turns out that Captain Jack Harkness was the _least_ of my troubles during this adventure. I was happy to give some of my extra power to help get that rocket going. That didn't bother me.

What _DID_ bother me was when I was stolen, again, by the _last_ person I expected.

The Master.

What I remembered of the Master's mind was that it was always dark - much darker than the Doctor's. He was very much like the Doctor in many ways. The main difference was where the Doctor felt guilt or pity when someone died during an adventure, the Master felt nothing. The times when he did feel something it was glee or even excitement. Certainly no remorse. He was the demon to the Doctor's angel.

I recognised the Master's dark mind as soon as he stepped through my doors. I feared for my Doctor. Where was he? Then I realised the Master was dying. He was going to regenerate again. I felt distain, regretting the fact that I had to obey the Master even though I didn't want to. He was still a Time Lord, after all, and as such he knew just what to do to control me.

When he locked my doors, I cried out for my Doctor's mind. He was right there, _right_ on the other side, but the Master deadlocked my doors. No one, not even my Doctor, could get in. He pounded on them, shouting, _screaming _to be let in, but there was nothing I could do. If I could cry, I would have. The Master had the Doctor's severed hand from his battle with the Sycroax leader. He had his own reasons for keeping it, but it seemed almost as if he were taunting me with it as well.

The Doctor tried to plead with the Master. " I'm begging you, everything's changed! It's only the two of us, we're the only ones left! Just let me in!"

The Doctor's efforts were in vain though, because the Master wasn't listening to him. He wasn't listening to me either, only giving me sharp mental reminders that I had to obey or he would punish me. I had to look after myself because there was always a chance I could be reunited with the Doctor, so I did as I was told.

"Killed by an insect," he hissed. I knew he was talking about the companion he had while he was a human. "A girl. How inappropriate. Still, if the Doctor can be young and strong, then so can I."

He and I braced ourselves for his pending regeneration. I didn't want any part of it, but I was forced to. "The Master… reborn!" he announced, before arching his back, his body taken over by the power of the regeneration. It was a painful experience. Regeneration always is. I felt no sadness for the Master's screams of pain though. My heart went cold. I felt violated. I knew my Doctor would have been able to see the golden glow of regeneration energy through my windows.

When it was over, the Master lay unconscious on my floor. He had gotten what he wanted - a younger looking face and body. I couldn't hold back my curiosity and gently prodded his mind. This act woke him, and I sadly discovered that his mind, hearts and soul were just as dark as ever.

He raised his head and looked around for a moment, remembering where he was and what had happened to him. I didn't enter his mind to sooth him of my presence like I had done when the Doctor last regenerated. Instead, I remained silent in his brain. The Master neither minded nor cared. He leapt to his feet in triumph, excited at his success and bursting with regenerative energy. Like most Time Lords, he was a little crazy as his body and mind adjusted. He shouted and laughed, running around my console in victory. His mind was noisy with screams of his own praise. It was as if he were pouring salt in my wounds. The Doctor's wounds were next.

The Master hit a button on my console that allowed his voice to be projected outside. "Now then, Doctor… Ooh, new voice." I gave a quiet sigh. It reminded me of the Doctor's experiences with his new teeth. The Master tried shouting at different tones and pitches, experimenting. "Hello! **Hello**! _Hello_!" I growled to myself. The Master was having _fun,_ gloating before the Doctor.

"Anyway, why don't we start by having a nice little chat where I tell you all my plans and you can work out a way to stop me I _don't _think!" The Doctor and I felt deep dread as we realized he had learned from his past experiences with the Doctor. Maybe the Doctor has finally met his match?

"I'm asking you really properly, just stop! Just think!" the Doctor pleaded.

"Use my name."

"_Master_… I'm sorry," the Doctor whispered.

That is where the Doctor and the Master are different; the Doctor says sorry.

"TOUGH!" the Master shouted in reply. He set about working my controls, setting the time and place I was to go to. I didn't dare fight him.

I could suddenly feel the Doctor trying to re-mote activate me, using the sonic screwdriver to stop me from taking off. My console sparked in pain as the two forces pulled against me. I tried to stay on the ground, but the Master leapt into action.

"Oh, no you don't!" he said, flicking more switches and pressing more buttons. He released the brake that keeps me from taking off. There was nothing the Doctor could do now.

"End of the universe! Have fun! Bye-bye!" the Master shouted with a mocking wave. We were leaving them in the darkness where no Time Lord has ever been. I took the Doctor and Martha here because I was afraid of Jack, an old friend and someone I have a deep fondness for had changed into something I couldn't tolerate at first. I felt ashamed. Maybe I had brought this upon myself?

Oh, my Doctor. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…

With a sad and reluctant groan of my ancient engines, I took off, trapped with the darkness of the Master and leaving Jack, Martha and my Doctor behind to battle the Futurekind. I could only hope that my Doctor would be able to fight his way out of the darkness and find his way back to me some day.


End file.
